By GARY ROBERTSON, Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republican legislative leaders announced plans Monday to vote next week on redrawing the state’s U.S. House district map, with a likely aim to secure another GOP seat within already right-leaning boundaries.

The move comes amid an emerging mid-decade battle nationally between Republicans and Democrats seeking advantage in the way U.S. House districts are drawn in several states for the 2026 session.

North Carolina Republicans already created a map in 2023 that resulted in GOP candidates winning 10 of the state’s 14 U.S. House seats in 2024. That division compared to the 7-7 seat split between Democrats and the GOP under the map used in 2022.

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Now only one of the state’s House districts – the 1st District currently represented by Democratic Rep. Don Davis – is considered a swing district and could be targeted by the GOP for an 11th seat. Davis won a second term last year by less than 2 percentage points, so shifting slightly portions of the district covering nearly 20 northeastern counties could help a Republican candidate in a strong GOP year.

A news release from the state’s Republican legislators said their planned action “follows President Donald Trump’s call urging legislatures across the country to take action to nullify Democrat redistricting efforts.”

Trump kickstarted the redistricting battle this summer by calling upon Republican-led Texas to reshape its U.S. House districts so that the GOP could win more seats in next year’s elections.

As Texas redrew its districts to give Republicans a shot at winning five more seats, Democrats in California reciprocated by passing their own redistricting plan aimed at helping Democrats win five additional seats. Then lawmakers in Republican-led Missouri approved revised U.S. House districts intended to help Republicans win an additional seat.

The new Texas map faces a legal challenge. The California map still needs voter approval in a Nov. 4 election to take effect. And the Missouri map faces both court challenges and an initiative petition campaign seeking to force a statewide referendum on it.

The Wild have played only two games, but after a brutal, 7-4 loss to Columbus on their home opener Saturday, coach John Hynes wasted little time in shaking things up.

For Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Kings at Grand Casino Arena, the first game of a back-to-back that continues Tuesday in Dallas, tweaked the second and third lines, and opened the door for center Danila Yurov to make his NHL debut.

Yurov was set to replace fellow rookie Hunter Haight, scoreless and a minus-2, as the fourth-line center with wings Liam Ohgren and Vinnie Hinostroza. Only 21, Yurov has been playing in the KHL, Russia’s top league, since 2022.

In 2023-2024, he broke new teammate Vladimir Tarasanko’s KHL season scoring record with 49 points (21 goals, 28 assists). With fellow Russian Kirill Kaprizov translating, Yurov said he “plays so many games in KHL already, it should be easy for him to play his game.”

“Just a little nervous,” Kaprizov added, “but (he’s) excited and happy to jump in.”

Marcus Johansson will join the second line as the left winger, swapping spots with Marcus Foligno. In two games, the line of Foligno Joel Eriksson Ek and Tarasenko had no even-strength goals.

Foligno will play with center Ryan Hartman (two goals) and right wing Yakov Trenin.

Gustavsson opened the season with a shutout at St. Louis before being scorched for seven goals on Saturday with two sets of back-to-backs — the Wild are at Washington and Philadelphia on Friday and Saturday — Wallstedt was going to play this week.

Wallstedt, 22, was 0-2 with a 4.09 goals-against average and .843 save percentage in two NHL starts last season, and had a rough season with the AHL team in Iowa (9-14-4), as well.

“I think Wally’s had a good summer physically, and I think mentally prepared for the season,” Hynes said. “I think he’s come back, and he’s had a good camp. I’ve seen the maturity in his game and the way that he practices, the intensity level, the details that he practices with. …

“He’s ready. He’s put the hard work in. He’s always the guy that we expect to play well. So, I’m excited to see him play tonight and he’s certainly prepared to have a good outing.”

Briefly

Tonight’s game will be Hynes’ 750th as an NHL head coach, making him the 50th coach in NHL history to reach the milestone. For reaching this NHL milestone, he will receive a Tiffany crystal from the NHL.

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Chick-fil-A is coming to Stillwater.

Chick-fil-A officials plan next fall to open a 5,218-square-foot restaurant with a drive-thru facility in the parking lot of the former Herberger’s department store building.

The site, 2001 Washington Ave., is located near the intersection of Washington Avenue and the Minnesota 36 frontage road, south of Harbor Freight Tools and east of Caribou Coffee.

The Stillwater City Council signed off on the plans last week.

City officials approved a conditional-use permit to allow a restaurant with a drive-thru, as well as a variance to accommodate drive-thru canopies that encroach into the required 20-foot setback, said Jason Zimmerman, the city’s community development director.

The proposed restaurant is located within the city’s business park commercial zoning district. In 2023, a plat associated with a proposed car wash was approved on the site, but the car wash never opened, Zimmerman said. That same year, the Caribou Coffee was constructed in the area, Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman said city officials are working to improve traffic flow in the area, especially at the intersection of the frontage road and Washington Avenue. “We’re looking at making some changes there, which will help,” he said. “I think that’s the biggest pinch point.”

Zimmerman, who has never eaten at a Chick-fil-A, said he is looking forward to trying it out.

“Their market study showed that this would be a good place to locate,” he said. “People really like Chick-fil-A. People, including my son, just love the food. I think there’s a lot of excitement about seeing it in Stillwater. I’m sure they’ll get a lot of customers.”

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Former NFL quarterback and sports analyst Mark Sanchez was released from custody Sunday, about a week after police said he was stabbed during a fight with a truck driver outside an Indiana hotel.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department confirmed Sanchez’s release. He faces a felony battery charge, along with several misdemeanor charges, for what prosecutors have said was a fight over parking.

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A police affidavit says the 38-year-old Sanchez, smelling of alcohol, accosted 69-year-old Perry Tole, who had backed his truck into a hotel’s loading docks in downtown Indianapolis on Oct. 4. Tole claims in a lawsuit filed Monday that Sanchez entered the truck without permission, then physically blocked and shoved Tole, who then doused Sanchez with pepper spray.

When Sanchez advanced after being sprayed, Tole pulled a knife to defend himself, authorities said.

Sanchez was hospitalized with stab wounds to his upper right torso, according to a police affidavit. A picture of Tole circulating online shows him in a neck brace on a hospital bed, covered in blood with a deep slash to the side of his face.

Sanchez was in Indianapolis for Fox’s coverage of last Sunday’s game between the Colts and the Las Vegas Raiders.

Sanchez had a 10-year NFL career before retiring in 2019. He spent four seasons with the New York Jets and also appeared in games with Philadelphia, Dallas and Washington.

He appeared on ABC and ESPN for two years before joining Fox Sports as a game analyst in 2021.

A defense attorney for Sanchez didn’t immediately respond to a telephone message seeking comment.